First Pro Line Fusion-equipped King Airs ready for Europe

22 March, 2016

SOURCE: Flight International

BY: Kate Sarsfield

London

Beechcraft is preparing to deliver the first Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion-equipped King Air 350i/ER and 250 twin-engined turboprops into Europe, after European Aviation Safety Agency validation for the seven-seat types on 17 March.

The Textron Aviation subsidiary says the continent is a consistently strong market for its King Air family. It is home to a growing fleet of around 260 aircraft, according to Flightglobal's Fleets Analyzer database.

“We’re looking forward to getting the upgraded King Air 350i/ER and 250 into the European marketplace, where owners/operators have responded enthusiastically to the investments we’ve made in bringing the latest technology, safety and comfort to the cockpit and cabin,” says Kriya Shortt, Textron Aviation’s senior vice-president, sales and marketing.

Textron Aviation

First certificated in the USA on the King Air 250 in July, with the 350i/ER following in November, the new Fusion avionics-equipped turboprops include a full touchscreen display system and a revamped interior.

The new flight deck – which replaces the Pro Line 21 system – includes three interchangeable 14in displays with integrated touchscreen checklists, a high-resolution synthetic vision system and multi-sensor flight management system.